Girl Meets Red, White, and Blue
by LucayaFanatic
Summary: Independence Day was something that Maya was not proud of. Riley and her friends are puzzled why she is never happy on the national holiday. After having a talk with Maya, Riley finds out that Maya's father, Kermit, left her on the fifth when she was five. Riley, Lucas, and Farkle tries to find the perfect way to help Maya to remember the importance of the day.
1. Chapter 1: The Beginning

Today is the 4th of July. The first scene opens in Riley's bedroom. Maya is still asleep, covered in sheets, while Riley is wide awake, sitting in her bed, looking at magazines. Riley is sick of Maya still in bed, so she decides to yank the sheets off of her.

"Happy Fourth of July Maya!" Riley said, yanking the sheets. Maya gave no response, but she snored. Riley jumps up and down on the bed in order to wake her up. "Maya? No, you are not sleeping anymore! It is already 1:59! In the afternoon!" Riley said. Riley wondered how she can still be in bed. Maya still wanted five more minutes, and claims that she is tired. "It is the 4th of July! I can't believe that you are still sleeping on this exciting day! There are tons of thing that we can do today! You even missed lunch! Wake up, or else I am dragging you outta bed," Riley said again.

"Okay, I am up. The last time you did that was not fun. What did you guys have for lunch?" Maya asked. Maya's stomach growled.

"Tater tots," Riley said, knowing that tater tots was Maya's favorite.

"How dare you let me sleep through tater tots!" Maya said.

The next scene is in the Matthews' living room. It is shown through the intercom that Lucas and Farkle are at the front door. Cory comes to the room and asks the girls a question. "Hey girls. Do you know why the Fourth of July is celebrated and what happened on that day of the year, 1776?" he asked.

"Of course!" Riley said"

"Again not a clue. I don't get why American history is so important. Besides, 1776 is like _thousands_ of years ago! Why learning so much about the past when there is so much to look forward to in the future?" Maya said.

"Maya, it is not just history. Even us having this conversation is history! Remember I told you that before?" Cory said. A few moments later, the doorbell rings and Riley went over to the door.

"Oh, Dr. Turtle Neck and Howdy are here. No more to this conversation," Maya said.

"Come on in guys! Join our history lesson," Riley said.

"Ooh, is it Belgium 1831? Finally, the day I am waiting for years," Farkle said, sounding excited.

"Uh, I don't think so Farkle. It is Independence Day and I think it is about that," Lucas said.

"Yeah, I really don't get the point why everyone is excited about a holiday that is getting the way of me relaxing and sleeping on a perfect summer day. I am out," Maya said.

"Where is she going?" Farkle said.

"To get more sleep I assume. Wait, it is 3:00 in the afternoon!" Lucas said.

"How could she not know the holiday that our country gained our independence?" Riley said, shocked.

"I don't know," Lucas said, shrugging.

"I wished she knew. That day of the year of 1776 that changed our lives forever," Farkle said.

"Then we have to make Fourth of July a special day for her. You three, bay window, now!" Riley ordered.


	2. Chapter 2:The Memory that Started it all

The next scene opens in Riley's bedroom. Riley, Farkle, and Lucas are sitting in the bay window on how they can make the 4th of July a special day for Maya. "How are we gonna do it?" Farkle asked.

"Shh...She is thinking," Lucas said.

"Thank you Lucas. You know me very well. You know that I don't like to be interrupted while I am thinking," Riley said, as she continues thinking. Lucas mouths something to Farkle, and Farkle mouths something back to him. A moment later, Riley got her idea.

"I got it!" Riley said in surprise.

"What is it?" Lucas and Farkle said. Surprised, they looked at each other and shared a laugh.

"I've been Maya's friend since kindergarten, and for the longest I know her, she loves singing," Riley said.

"How is that gonna help her?" Farkle said, and Lucas agrees.

"Yeah. Maybe you have to talk to her first," Lucas suggested.

"Yeah, okay. Stay here and don't go anywhere," Riley said, taking Lucas' suggestion.

The next scene is at Maya's house. Riley is walking to the front door, about to ring the door bell. Riley stood at the front door and yelled through the door. "MAYA!" Riley yelled.

"Alright, Riles, I'm coming. No need to yell," she said. When she saw what Riley was wearing, Maya became completely speechless before she asked, "what are you dressed in?"

"It's the 4th of July. Of course I have to wear the colors," Riley said.

"But I don't think what you're wearing is only about the colors," Maya said, confused.

"Hmm? Oh. I am wearing a dress made of flag-," Riley said.

"FLAGS?! Why flags?," Maya still puzzled.

"Can we just go in and discuss this whole thing?," Riley said.

"Whatever," Maya said, again, living her nonchalant attitude. Maya leads Riley into her house and they sit on Maya's bed.

"Are you going to the celebration later today? You have to go," Riley said.

"Not interested. I lost my interest on Independence Day a long time ago.," Maya said.

"Maya, why don't you like Independence Day? It is considered one of the most important holidays in out entire nation!" Riley said.

"I don't want to talk about it.," Maya said.

"Talk to me. Please, Maya, you have to tell me everything that happened that made today an upsetting day for you," Riley said sternly.

"Fine. The 4th of July when I was 5 was the last day that I spent with my dad. I am upset, but it is his fault for leaving me and my mom-," Maya said.

"Your dad left you on the national holiday? How could he?" Riley said.

"Yeah, and I am not finished. I don't know why he would leave me. He says that he would always be there for me. Guess that he was lying. I don't know why I kept all of my expectation high before. We were good the day before...," Maya said.

"Continue," Riley said.

"From that year onward, I have never actually celebrated the holiday. Slowly, I even began to doubt why that is a holiday," Maya said.

"It is the day that the Declaration of Independence is signed," Riley said.

"I don't see it as an important day at all," Maya said.

"Maya...You have got to remember the meaning and why it is important. If the day in 1776 never happened, you could not imagine what you would be now. Not just you, all the people in the great United States of America would be," Riley said, determined.

"I don't know, and I don't want to imagine and bring up the past," Maya said, sounding disappointed.

"I have to make this a special day for you no matter what happens. **  
**

 **MAYA'S FLASHBACK**

Mr. Hart is seen carrying Maya on his back and smiling. They then sat down on the grass. "Do you want anything to eat? Are you hungry?" Kermit asked.

"Yeah. I want ice cream!" Maya said.

"Hold on honey, I'm gonna buy some ice cream!" Kermit said.

"Thanks Daddy," Maya said.

"Maya, just so you know, no matter what, I am always gonna be there for you," Kermit said.

"Thanks Daddy," Maya said.

"Maya, a few minutes later, you will see a lot of fireworks in the sky," Kermit said.

"What are fireworks Daddy?" Maya said.

"They are sparkly and will light in the sky," Kermit said.

"Cool, I will remember and love fireworks together," Maya said. The fireworks are shown in the sky

 **END OF FLASHBACK**

The next scene opens in Riley's room, Lucas and Farkle are waiting for her to get back impatiently.

"So, how did it go?" Lucas said.

"Yeah, what happened?" Farkle asked.

"When she was five, on Independence Day, was the last day she saw her dad," Riley said.

"Oh," Lucas said.

"She completely forgot the meaning of it! And that's not right!" Riley said.

"She had a reason to forget: her dad left her even though he promised to always be there for her," Lucas said.

"I agree with Lucas. What are you gonna do now?" Farkle asked.

"I don't know, but I am not giving up hope just yet," Riley said.


	3. Chapter 3: The Plan

Riley is sitting on her bed, reading books. Maya comes in without a knock, but that is normal for her. "Hey Riles," Maya said, sitting down on the bay window.

"Hey...about your dad...I want to know more about him. Please tell me more if you are okay with it," Riley said. Riley then went over to the bay window to join Maya.

"Okay, but I barely know anything because I was five back then. What would you like to know?" Maya asked Riley. Maya began to bit her lip and looked onto the floor.

"Did he have a good relationship with your mom? Are you nervous about this conversation?" Riley said, worried about her friend.

"Not really actually. He was having drinking problems and was a hopeless achohlic, and my mom can't accept that," Maya said.

"Okay. Did he have a good relationship with YOU?" Riley asked.

"Yeah, sorta. Just barely better than his relationship with my mom," Maya said, disappointed.

"Did you have any idea why he left you?" Riley asked.

"I don't know, he probably got drunk and left my family forever. We even stopped contacting. He started a new family. I don't understand why he would do that. I thought he loved me with all of his heart. I guessed was wrong. I shouldn't have believed in hope," Maya said.

"Remember you once said to me, "you hope for things, you get disappointed". Is that true for you?" Riley asked her.

"Of course it is true. All the bad things that happened in my life was because I did believe in hope," Maya said, and a tear went down her face. Riley then gives her a tissue to wipe her tear away.

"I don't think it is true. And I am gonna prove it to you somehow," Riley said.

"Whatever," Maya said, still tear-eyed.

"Who do you feel most comfortable with besides your family?" Riley asked Maya, putting her had on Maya's shoulder.

"Shawn, of course. He was like a father figure to me, and your dad," Maya said.

"Shawn, of course! How could I have not thought of that before!" Riley said loudly.

"Thought of what? What are you trying to do?" Maya asked.

"Nothing. Well something, but it's not important right now," Riley said taking Maya's hand, "sorry that you had to bring up the bad memories. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Maya said. Riley then let go of Maya's hand and waved goodbye. As Riley goes through the door, Maya began to bring back the memories and eventually starting to burst into tears.

Next, at Topanga's, Riley came through the open door and found Farkle and Lucas sitting in their normal spot waiting for her. Riley, excited that she just found an idea, sat down. "I talked to her again! I know what to do," Riley said.

"What?" Lucas and Farkle said at once.

"Shawn," Riley said.

"Shawn? Why Shawn?" Farkle asked.

"Shawn is a father figure to Maya and Maya feels the most comfortable around him than anyone else," Riley explained to her friends.

"So the plan involves Shawn, but what is Shawn going to do to Maya? Have you thought of that yet Riley?" Lucas asked.

"Is he going to talk to her again?" Farkle asked.

"No, something bigger. Way bigger," Riley said with a smile on her face.

Riley arrives at Shawn's house and Shawn opens the door before she can even knock or ring the door bell. "Shawn, where are you going? Can I ask you a really big favor?" Riley said.

"I am going to the post office to send this mail. Is it important because I am in a rush," Shawn said.

"I can help you send it right after I talk to you about Maya," Riley said.

"Maya? I love that little kiddo. What's up with her? Do you want to go inside and talk?" Shawn asked.

"Sure," Riley said, and her and Shawn went inside, "about Maya. Her father left her when she was five on the 4th of July."

"Ooh. That must hurt. What do you want me to do to her?" Shawn asked.

"I want you to give her a surprise. And she is badly hurt about it," Riley said.

"What surprise?" Shawn asked.

"It's kind of complicated. I will explain as much to you later. Just come with me," Riley said, grabbing Shawn's hand and going out the door.

"What about my mail? I thought you would do it for me!" Shawn said, panting.

"I will do it later, I promise! But this is really important for Maya!" Riley said.


End file.
